organic farming

Going Green With Organic Farming

Most of us think of organic farming as a large business, but this isn’t always necessarily true. Individuals can have what are known as mini-farms, in which organic means are used to grow food products or raise animals which will used as a food source.

Organic farming basically means that the operation will be run by using the most natural means possible, avoiding the use of chemicals and/or pesticides in either the crops or the animals feed.

Larger scale organic farms can be certified by the government. To receive this certification, the farmers must be able to prove that they are following the guidelines that are in place to be recognized as organic, farmers can learn through online degree programs that are available for organic farming. This may include using pesticides and fertilizers that do not contain unnatural chemicals.

Organic farmers will also need to prove that they keep the soil as healthy as possible by using natural composting methods and the rotation of crops. When raising animals for food consumption, there can be no use of antibiotics in the animals feed, nor can artificial growth hormones be part of the animals diet.

For individuals wishing to have a small organic farm, animals can be raised in a natural way without the use of chemicals and pesticides. Small scale poultry farmers can go green by raising chickens for their own use, either for meat or for eggs.

By allowing the chickens to be free ranging, which means they will be sheltered at night, yet free to roam during daylight hours and will have access to grass or insects, the chickens will be in much  better condition then those that are being raised in large scale egg producing companies.

In a large scale farm, hens are kept in very small cages that barely allow them to turn around, which means the chickens are usually unhealthy. Feeding poultry a diet of chicken food that does not contain antibiotics is best.